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Friday, August 22, 2014

How do you feel after your
workout? It’s a simple question but one that many individuals don’t ask
themselves and if they do, they don’t pay attention to the answer. Are you
physically and psychologically ready for your next workout? Or are you exhausted,
experiencing extended, fatigue with aching joints, mental fog and lack energy?
If so, you may be experiencing overtraining syndrome.

According to exercise
physiologists, it’s important for athletes and those who exercise to remember
that although hard physical training and exercise can improve performance and
health, to reach fitness goals there is a critical phase in one's routine that
must not be overlooked. This phase is recovery. According to George L. Redmon, PhD, ND,
during this phase, there must be a maximal reloading of cardiovascular output
(the heart's efficiency) and muscular systems (increasing glycogen stores and
mitochondria). Without adequate attention to this end stage of your physical
output, you will never reach your long-term performance goals safely and
effectively.

Overtraining syndrome is a
state of burnout resulting from the combined negative emotional, behavioral and
physical symptoms that occur as a result of persistent training without proper
recovery. The usual first sign of overtraining is persistent fatigue that exists
after several days following a hard strenuous workout. If your body is in a
state of overtraining, you will cease to make progress and your performance
will plateau and decline. This is a direct result of the volume and intensity
of your exercise routine, which supersedes your ability to recover from it.

According to George L. Redmon, PhD, ND, while the most significant symptom of overtraining is fatigue,
researchers insist that knowing the overall signs of overtraining is extremely
important, as many symptoms are not immediately realized. For example, changes
in mental attitude and personality, as well as changes in sleep patterns and
gastrointestinal disturbances (soft stools and diarrhea) can gradually
progress. Other subtle physiological changes of overtraining include reduced
immune function (frequent colds, generalized flu-like symptoms), elevated
morning blood pressure and waking pulse rate. Other aspects of overtraining may include :

Blood sugar abnormalities

Headaches and anxiety

General malaise, moodiness

Longer time to recover

Increased susceptibility to
injury

Muscle soreness; joint
tenderness

Irritability and increased
defiance

Loss of appetite

Depression and loss of
motivation

It is important to know that
proper recovery is the key to improving performance. Overtraining to continued
exhaustion without pre and post recovery plans not only sets you up for
failure, it can be detrimental to your health. Here are some strategies to help
you with recovery and avoid or recover from overtraining syndrome.

Give yourself time to recover
in between sets or workouts

Fuel up nutritionally before
and immediately after an intense workout. For aerobic endurance workouts over
an hour a combination of simple carbohydrates and protein is best.

Keep yourself well hydrated
before, during and after your workout

Know your limits—start out
slow

Be sure to get 7+ hours of
sleep every night and if possible, on those days with aggressive and long
workouts, try and sneak in a nap. Your body produces growth hormone only during
sleep which is key to rebuilding damaged muscle fibers.

If you are not currently into
to what your body is telling you, stop and learn to listen to it. It is important to recognize when your
workout routine has gone beyond normal without any strategy that includes rest
and recovery. The most harmful factor of overtraining, according to Dr. Philip
Maffetone the author of Training for Endurance, is that without recovery, even
a low-intensity workout can result in overtraining symptoms as perceived by the
body and also the brain.

By having a well-thought-out
workout or exercise routine plan in place to provide your body with the right
tools that foster proper recovery, you will be in a better position to ensure
that your rest is recovering and promoting the growth and improvement in
performance you are looking for.

@ChrisVokaty

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About Me

I have many roles in life as a husband to May, father to Elliana, Director of Sales Learning Delivery, church member and believer in Christ, fitness columnist, personal trainer, group exercise instructor, coach and endurance athlete! At 47, I am in the best shape of my life!